Spinal fusion surgeries, that is, the use of bone graft material to promote specific vertebrae to grow together into a solid and stable construct, are a common method of treating patients with severe back pain. For fusion to occur within the disc space, the surgeon must first remove the damaged disk material. Once the disk material is removed, the empty space left between the upper and lower vertebrae is distracted to relieve pressure from neural elements and to provide space for entry of surgical tools and/or implants. A bone graft, or interbody cage with bone, is then inserted into the empty disc space to promote bone growth from vertebral body to vertebral body. Recently, minimally invasive techniques have improved fusion procedures by causing less damage to tissue surrounding the damaged disk and allowing for faster recovery by the patient.
One drawback associated with current instruments used to perform spinal fusion surgery, especially minimally invasive surgery, is that they typically provide inadequate protection for sensitive nerve tissue surrounding the surgical site. The smaller access portals used in minimally invasive surgery allow sensitive tissue to be located very close to the surgical site. Further, using current instruments within these tight confines often impedes the surgeon's visibility, making the ultimate placement of the implant difficult.
Accordingly, there remains a need for improved surgical instruments, and in particular for surgical instruments used for implanting spinal prostheses.